A worldwide community photographing and learning about wildlife
Embothrium coccineum
Chilean firetree, Chilean firebush, Notro in Spanish (Embothrium coccineum), is a small evergreen tree in the family Proteaceae. It grows in the temperate forests of Chile and Argentina. It produces deep red flowers (occasionally pale yellow) which group in clusters; blooming occurs in spring. The fruit is a dry follicle, with about 10 seeds inside. It grows 4–15 m (13–50 ft) tall and can reach 50 cm (20 in) in diameter. The bark is dark grey with light spots. Its wood is light pink color, and besides for being very soft but durable, is used for elaborating spoons, kitchen vessels and another craft articles. It is grown as an ornamental in Great Britain and the United States, and as far north as Faroe Islands at 62º North latitude. The plant was introduced to Europe by William Lobb during his plant collecting expedition to the Valdivian temperate rain forests in 1845 – 1848. It was described by Kew Gardens as: "Perhaps no tree cultivated in the open air in the British Isles gives so striking and brilliant a display as this does
No Comments